Strain releasable ski binding



D. w. EMERSON 2,788,981

STRAIN RELEASABLE sKI BINDING Filed oct. 28. 1954 April 16, 1957 INI 'ENTOR.

5f/Zed c, 197m@ ST RELEASABLE SKI BINDING Dell W. Emerson, Seattle,Wash.

Application @einher 2S, 1954, Serial No. 465,199 3 Claims. (Cl.28-11.35)'

This invention relates to a strain releasable ski binding and an objectof this invention is to provide a ski binding which will attach the skiboot of a user to a ski firmly enough to satisfy all of the requirementsof ordinary use but which will be released by strain exerted insubstantially any direction before said strain becomes great enough toseriously injure the leg or ankle or foot of the user.

Another object is to provide ski binding means capable of efficientlybinding both the heel and the toe portion of a ski boot to a ski butwhich will be released by excess upward strain at the heel of the bootor excess upward strain at the toe of the boot or by excessive torsionin either direction thereby safeguarding the user against injury by anyand all of the strains usually encountered in skiing.

Another object is to provide a ski binding which can be adjusted so thatit will be released by a greater or lesser strain depending on therequirements of the user.

Another object is to provide a ski binding comprising a heel blockattached to a ski and supporting a movable .and adjustably spring loadedheel engaging member having a bullet shaped forward end portionpositioned to engage within a backwardly facing rounded concavedepression in a heel plate on a ski boot so that the heel plate ycan bequickly and easily snapped into engagement with .the heel engagingmember and will be disengaged therefrom by either an upward or torsionalstrain before the .strain becomes great enough to injure the user.

Another object is to provide ski binding means which fis simple inconstruction and not expensive to manufac- `ture, which is free fromstraps, cables and like devices requiring manual'manipulation, and whichfunctions in .such a manner as to make it possible for a person who fiswearing the ski boots to quickly and easily engage said boots with theskis or disengage said boots from the skis without bringing the handsdirectly into contact with the :ski binding means. Y

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

Figure l is a top plan view of a ski equipped with ski binding meansconstructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of said ski and ski binding meansand further showing a fragment of a ski boot having toe and heel platesand held by the ski binding means. n

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional View, with parts brokenaway, and on a larger scale than Figs. l and 2, showing the bindingmeans used for the heel portion of the ski boot. t

Fig. 4 is a detached side elevational view of a movable heel holdingmember or plunger used in the heel binding means.

Fig. 5 is a front end view of said heel holding member.

Fig. 6 is a detached top plan view of a heel plate to;-

be used on a ski boot.

2,788,981 Patented Apr. 16, 1957 Fig. 7 is a rear view of said heelplate looking in the direction of broken line 7-7 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view showing the bindingmeans used for the toe portion of a ski boot.

Fig. 9 is a detached top plan view of a toe holding member which isadapted to be rigidly attached to a ski.

Fig. 10 is a detached top plan view of a toe plate which is adapted tobe rigidly attached to the toe portion of a ski boot.

Fig. 11 is a view partly in side elevation and partly 'in section on asmaller scale than Figs. 4 to 10 inclusive and showing a quicklyreleasable toe holding member of a modified form as it may appear whenengaged with the toe plate of a ski boot.

Like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the severalviews.

ln the drawings 15 indicates a fragment of a ski and 16 a fragment of aski boot having a sole 17 and heel 18 all of conventional construction.The binding means used at the heel of the boot comprises a heel block orhousing 20 having a base flange 21 which can be rigidly attached, as byscrews 2 2, to the ski 15. The heel block 2@ has a bore or passageway 23which is inclined downwardly, preferably at an angle of about twentydegrees from the rear end, shown at the left in the drawings, toward theright end of said block. The rear end portion of the bore 23 hasinternal threads 24. The forward end portion of said bore has aninternal shoulder 25. Preferably a longitudinally extending keyway 26 isprovided within said bore 23. A cylindrical heel holding member orplunger l27 yis slidably disposed within the bore 23 and has an externalshoulder 28 which engages the shoulder 25 and limits the forwardmovement of the heel holding member 27 in the heel block 20. A part 29of reduced diameter protrudes from the forward end of the heel holdingmember 27 and terminates in a rounded heel plate engaging portion l30which is shaped like kthe nose of a bullet except that it has aninclined dat top surface 3l. A key member 32, herein shown as a roundpin, is rigid with the heel holding member 27 and operates in the keyway26 thus keeping the flat surface 31 of the bullet shaped part 30 alwaysuppermost.

The heel holding member 27 has a tubular recess 33 which receives oneend of a compression spring 34. The other end of the spring 34 extendsinto a recess 35 in a spring abutment member 36 by which the spring 34is adjustably supported. The spring abutment member 36 is threaded intothe heel block 20 and serves to adjust the compression of the spring 34.

A at normally horizontal part 37 of a heel plate is secured by screws 38to the heel 18 of the shoe. The rear edge of the heel plate part 37 hasan upwardly extending integral member 39 and such member 39 is providedwith a rearwardly facing rounded concave depression 4l) which is adaptedto receive the rounded nose of the bulletshaped member 30. A roundedbend 41 is formed at the junction of the two integral heel plate parts37 and 39 and this rounded part 41 reacts against the flat inclinedsurface 31 of the member 30 and retractively moves the member 30 when itis pressed downwardly on said surface 31 in engaging the ski boot withthe ski. Preferably the uppermost forward corner of the heel block 20has a beveled edge 19 to help guide the rounded heel plate part 41 downonto the inclined surface 31 if the heel plate comes down on top oftheheel block 20. Preferably a strap receiving opening 42 is provided inthe upright heel plate 39 above the concave depression 40.

The toe binding means herein disclosed comprises two parts, namely, atoe plate 43 attachable to the ski boot 16 and a toe holding member 44attachable to the ski ing holes 46, Fig. 10 to receive screws 47 bywhich the toe plate may be secured to a ski boot sole 17. Said toe plate'further comprises an integral upright part formed of a medial portion4S and two side or wing portions 49, said wing portions 49 being odsetrearwardly relative to themedial portion 4r?. The upper Vcorners Sii ofthe Wing portions 49 are bent forwardly, as shown, and the wing portions49 with the forwardly bent corners 'Sti cooperate with the'metal tip ofa ski pole facilitating detachment of the ski boot from the ski, ashereinafter explained. The medial upright toe plate portion ed has aforwardly facing `rounded concave depression Si formed therein and thisdepression 51 is preferably elongated in a vertical direction, asillustrated in Fig. 8. Preferably the toe plate '43 has a recess 52 atthe location where the upright part 48KV joins the base 45. ri`hisrecess 52 helps to guide the ytoe plate into engagement with the toeholding member 44V in applying the boot to the ski and said recess 52 isdesirable for structural reasons.

The toe holding member d4 comprises a flat base part V53 havinglongitudinally extending slots 5d toreceive screws 55 by which said toeholding member maybe adjustably secured tothe ski l5. Said toe holdingmember also includes an integral upright part having a rearwardly facingbullet shaped toe plate engaging member 57 formed therein and positionedto engage within the forwardly7 facing concave recess 5i in the toeplate 43. Preferably each lateral edge portion of the upright part 56 isbent to form therein a rearwardly facing trough shaped upright groovefor the reception of the tip of a ski pole to be used in detaching theski boot from the ski while the boot is on the foot.

In the use of this ski binding the heel plates and toe plates arepermanently attached to the ski boots and the Y' heel blocks 2h and toeholding members 445 are permanently attached to the skis in the correctpositions and at theV correct distance apart to properly t and engagewith the 'chosen ski boots, depending on the size of the ski boots. Theslots 54 in the base 53 of the toe holding member Vallow for someadjustment of this member without changing the location of the screws S5on the skis. Also the Vheel plate engaging part 29, 3@ is long enough toallow lsome clearance between the upright heel plate member 39 and theheel block 2d. The heel holding member "27 vwith its bullet'shaped part3i? is free to move rearwardly against the pressure of the spring 34 andthe compression force of this spring can be adjusted.

To engage the ski boot'with the skiY the user places the foot on the skiwith the rounded `concave toe plate'recess v'51 fitting over theprotruding part S7 of the upright toe plate holding member and therounded corner part 41 of the heel plate resting on the inclined surface31 of the movable member 27. He then puts enough weighton the heelportion of the ski boot to force the heel downwardly onto the ski, inwhich position the member 30 will t into the concave rounded depression40 of the heel plate and the boot and ski will be effectively boundtogether. Ihe spring 3d permits release of the toey binding means aswell as the heel binding means in the event either is subjected to astrain great enough to compress but will'release before anyof'thesestrains .becomes great Y Y Venough to injure theV legs orankles'or feet Yof the user Vof the skis.

The user can easily and quickly detach the skis from the ski boots byinserting the metaltipj portion of a ski pole in one of the grooves S3between the `toc holding member 44 and one of the wingsV 49 of the toeplate 43 and prying the` toe plate and toeholding mem- 'be.r-.apart.TheY backset of the wings@ and 'the clLued corner portions 51 of saidwings facilitate the use ofthe 4 tip portion of a ski pole in this way.VFthis provides for quick Vand -easy release from the'skis withoutapplying the hands directly to the ski bindings. Y

Fig. 1l shows a modified form of toe holding member including a movablemounted ball or bullet shaped part 6G adapted to cooperate with the toeplate d4 and seat Within the recess 51 thereof. The ball di? is securedto an arm 61. The arm 61 is pivotally supported by a pivot pin 62 withthe arm extending in two opposite directions from said pin 62,. The pin62 is mounted in the upper end portion of .an upwardly extending part 63of an t. shaped bracket 64. V*The base part o5 of the bracket ed restson and is rigidly secured to the ski i5. The part 63 is inclined towardthe ski boot. When'the ball oil is engaged within the recess 51 thelower and shorterY end portion 0f the arm 6i will rest against theupright bracket part 63 and will function as a stop. Also the bail o@will be below the level of the pivot pin 62, substantially as shown, andexcessive upward lstrains on the toe of the boot will not ordinarilycause the device to release by Vpivoting about the pin 6?;'bu said willbe released by excessive strains inthe saine man Aepreviot The user canrelease the boot from the toe binding means shown in Fig. ll byinserting the tip portion de of a ski pole, shown by broken lines, in anopening 67 in the curved upper end portion of the arm di and rotativelymoving said arm 6i in the direction indicated by the arrow.

AThe foregoing description and accompanying drawings clearly disclose apreferred embodiment of this invention but it will be understood thatchanges in structure may be made within the scope and spirit of theappended claims.

'I claim:

1. In a strain releasable ski binding for securing a vski boot to a ski,the skiboot having a sole provided with a forwardly facing concave toedepression and a heel provided with a rearwardly facing concave heeldepressioni; a rearwardly facing releasab'le toe holding mem- Vber of'bullet Vnose shape rigidly attached to the ski andfipositioned toreleasably engage within said toe depressiong a heel block attached tothe ski 'in rearwardly spaced relation from the toe holding member, saidheel block having a tubular bore which is inclined. down-A wardly fromits rear toward its forward end; a heel holding member movable insaid'tubular bore and having a protruding forward end portion of bulletnose kshape positioned to releasably engage within said vheeldepression, said protruding forward end portion being iiattened on itstop 'side providing an' inclined iiat surface Vfor engagement by thelheel part of the ski boot in the application of the boot to the ski; alongitudinal groove jin the wall of thebore of said heel block; a keyrigid with said heel holding member slidably movable in said rgroovepreventing rotary movement of the heel holding member in the tubularbore; a compression spring .urgingy said-heel holding member toward theski boot; and a screw adjustably .supporting said spring.

2. .11n a .strain releasable .sld binding for Securing a ski boot to aski, said boot having a heel plate rigid with `the heel thereof andVprovided with avrearwardly v.facing concaverounded depression; Aa heelblock attached -to Ythe ski, sai'djheel block having a tubular boreextending entirely therethrough and'inclined downwardlyfrom -jtsreattori/ardita iorwardend; the rear end portion or vraid .here being,internally ,threaded and said bore Lhavingan internal '.shoulderadjacent its fom/turd end portion protruding from theforward end of saidtubular ..bore,.,said bullet4 shaped-.end portion, having a` attened.upperxsurfa'ce-en'gageble bytheltelel Vplate yon the boot, 'said'heelholding member' havingy a shoulder engaging the stop shoulder in saidbore; a key member rigid with said heel holding member and operating inthe longitudinal keyway in said bore preventing rotary movement of saidheel holding member in said bore and maintaining said attened uppersurface of said bullet shaped end portion always uppermost; a spring insaid bore; and an adjustable spring abutment member threaded into saidheel block adjustably supporting said spring, said heel plate beingreleasable from said plunger by upward and transverse strains on theheel portion of the ski boot.

3. In a strain releasable ski binding for securing a ski boot to a ski,said boot having an L shaped toe plate rigid with the front end of thesole thereof and provided with a medially positioned forwardly facingconvex rounded depression and said ski boot having an L shaped heelplate rigid with the heel thereof and provided with a mediallypositioned rearwardly facing rounded depression, each of said L'shapedplates being rounded at the location of its right angle bend and theconcave depression in each of said plates being unobstructed at leastfrom below and from the two lateral sides; a rearwardly facing toeholding member rigidly secured to a ski and having a part of bullet noseshape positioned to engage within the recess in said toe plate; a heelblock attached to the ski, said heel block having a tubular boreextending entirely therethrough and inclined downwardly from its rearend toward its forward end; the rear end portion of said bore beinginternally threaded and said bore having an internal shoulder adjacentits forward end and said bore having a longitudinally extending keywayin the wall thereof and the uppermost corner portion of said heel blockbeing chamfered off providing a beveled surface positioned to be engagedby the rounded angle bend portion of said heel 6 plate in applying theboot to the ski; a heel holding member longitudinally movable in saidtubular bore, said heel holding member having a bullet shaped endportion protruding from the forward end of said tubular bore, saidbullet shaped end portion having a flattened inclined upper surfaceengageable by the rounded bend portion of the heel plate on the boot andsaid heel holding member having a shoulder engaging the stop shoulder insaid bore limiting forward movement of said heel holding member; atransversely protruding key pin rigid with said heel holding member andoperating in the longitudinal keyway in said bore preventing rotarymovement of said heel holding member in said bore and maintaining saidflattened upper surface of said bullet shaped end portion alwaysuppermost; a compression spring in said bore urging said heel holdingmember forwardly; and a tubular adjustable spring abutment memberthreaded into said heel block receiving and adjustably supporting saidspring, the boot being releasable from the ski by upward and transversestrains.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,026,084 Elster Dec. 31, 1935 2,433,161 Schwarze Dec. 23, 19472,667,359 Goodman `Tan. 26, 1954 2,705,150 Hansen Mar. 29, 1955 FOREIGNPATENTS 55,685 France May 21, 1952 (Addition to 858,446)

501,555 Germany July 3, 1930 126,223 Switzerland June 1, 1928

